Every little bit helps

They say this ice storm was the worst we had in 25 years. Except for the branches that snapped off, the ones bent to the ground straightened back up after the ice melted. And not that many were broken. I pruned what I could reach. I'll take precipitation any way I can get it, and ended up with a third of an inch in the rain gauge. Every little bit helps! Acquiring that moisture was agonizing, though. Perhaps the hardest won so far.

When I'm not staying in town, I put out fresh feeders early in the mornings on nights that the feeders freeze solid.  This morning, at daylight it was 20° and hummers were chasing around as if it was normal weather and the feeders weren't frozen. I put up clean ones with warmed solution and brought the frozen ones indoors to thaw out before I cleaned them. Such is the life of a hummingbird "rancher."

They would probably survive fine if I didn't, but the lives of hummers can be very marginal, so I figure every little bit helps!

I'm pretty excited. My son is on his way here from Austin with a kumquat tree, plus he stopped in Fredricksburg for the Prickly Ash generously given to me by Bill Lindemann and Jane Crone. Thanks guy! Your the absolute best! And I have the greatest son too!